We’re Helping the Homeless This Ramadan

June 1, 2018Group Editor

During this reflective period of Ramadan, we’re thinking of our neighbours who are less fortunate and considering how we can help. Here at ODARA, we’re focusing on supporting our city’s homeless population by getting involved with initiatives that will have a positive impact on those sleeping rough on our streets.

Every Sunday during Ramadan, Aysha, the founder of ODARA, will be taking part in homeless feeds that bring extra food to the homeless population in Birmingham city centre. On Friday 1 June, she will be working with the National Zakat Foundation, taking part in Birmingham’s largest homeless feed. It is a tragic statistic, but after London and the South East, Birmingham is ranked worst for homelessness.

Some of our city’s homeless have been speaking about their day-to-day lives, including ‘Maria’, who has been homeless for about one year after arriving from Bulgaria. She says she sits begging from morning until night, hoping to have enough money to provide a meal or even a hostel for the evening.

We might be edging towards summer months, but the streets can still be cold at night. Jimmy has been homeless for 20 years. He says that he busks for Calor gas in a desperate attempt to keep the van he sleeps in warm.

Want to get involved? One way of doing this is donating to Birmingham Homeless Outreach. This fantastic organisation is accepting items such as clean sleeping bags, warm coats, jumpers, gloves, toiletries, soap, sanitary products, canned food, cereal, dried pasta, rice, biscuits and other easily prepared foods.

Ramadan is truly a wonderful chance to give back and to reach out to other people in our communities, and what better way then helping the homeless?

Ramadan is experienced differently by everyone. We all lead different lifestyles, live in different communities and even fast at different hours around the world. Ramadan…

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